25 Jun 2021

Album review: Crypta – Echoes Of The Soul (2021)

 

Crypta – Echoes Of The Soul

Brazil / The Netherlands

Napalm Records


Last year, Fernanda Lira (bass, vocals) and Luna Dametto (Drums) decided to leave Nervosa and pull out a new project called Crypta. It has the participation of Taina Bergamaschi (Ex-Hagbard) and Sonia Annubis (Ex-Burning Witches, Cobra Spell) on guitars.

Since its announcement the band has generated quite a fuss, and now that they’ve recently released their debut album, let's take a walk through the slimy and gloomy corridors of CRYPTA!

I advise you to put on your headphones, because the intro to this album, "Awakening," reflects perfectly the album cover and will transport us at once beyond the mortal realm and towards the concept proposed by the group. The tombstone is opened wide, and from it arises an onslaught of pure soul-crushing brutality, like feral beasts emerging (as if Pandora's box were being opened). Fernanda's screams (a little deeper than usual) emanate deep from within the grave, as demonstrated on the first track, "Starvation," which is self-explanatory in how it talks about death due to lack of food. Admittedly, I’m quite fond of the structure and theme, which gives the impression that it was barfed out by some hideous creature. The vocals are profoundly aggressive, high-pitched, and pleasant to listen to. Fast riffs and drums slam into your ears like a hail of bullets. References like Morbid Angel and Sinister comes to mind in terms of the precision and speed they play their instruments. All this is supported by a rather stellar production. It’s forceful and fierce like the infernal shadow of death! I will point this out though, as a fan of classic death metal (the most repulsive kind) this album does sound a bit modern (and by this I mean that the melodic parts are clearly more modern than the moments of sick fury) but maybe that’s a good thing for the genre – to bring something fresh for all the death-maniacs to sink their teeth into. (Catacombs Walker)